Showcase machine for popping corn



Aug. 28, 1923. 1,466,595

' c. w. MABEY SHOWCASE MACHINE FOR POPPING CORN Filed Aug. 14, 1922 useful improvements in Showcase Machines` Patente@ 223, i223@ SHQVYGASE MACHINE EUR PIPPENG; CGE-N, v

Application nien August le, 1922. Serial Eo, Ei,

To 0555 wle/om it may G01/teem:

Be it known that i, @Hannes W'. Manny, a citizen of the United States, residing at indianap'oiis, in the county of Marion and State of neiiana, have invented new and lmechanism that: the pan iny which the corny is popped wili he free for removal from the heater for emptying., e

These principai objects, and other minor ones which wiii hereinafter-appear, are accomplished hy the means illustrated in the acompa-Irving (irawing, in which- Figz 1, is a verticai section of the invention on a. plane iongitninally of the henri crank shaft, showing the mechanism in pop ping' position in iuli iines, and the agitator and pan-cover in raised position in dotted lines. Fig., 2, is a4 perspective view on a reduced scale of aV portion oi av showcase, with my invention in operative position therein, and Fig, 3, is a perspective view of the pan removed from all other of its associated parts l Lilie characters of reference indicate like partsthi'onghont the severai views of the drawing v The showcase (if is of any -usuai andA suitable construction and has e iioor 5, a top 6, and a rear side?.

The corn while popping is placed in a sheet metal pan 8, which is removahiy supported, on a housing 9 having a hollow hase 1G that rests upon the fioor 5 of the case. Any suitable generator of heatinay he employed to heat the pan. ln the present embodiment of my invention an electric resistance 11, is assembled within the housing shove an insulation 12; but a gas, oil, charcoahor other known form of heatermay be suhstituteci for saifi eiectric one.

' The pan 8 preferably has the central' portionoi' its bottoni epresseii at 13 to enter a corresponding hoie in the housing; 9 to *secure the position oi the pan. The ietter is previo-eci with a. handle 1li, by which it is placed and also removed for dumping the popped corn, and to aiiow for an overow to reieve congestion whiie the popping is in progress, l prefer to'remove theupper side waii as shown at 15, on the side next to the interior of the showcase, tol deiiver the corn there where it wiii he moet out of the way oi the operation of the pepper.

Depending from the top 6 of the cese is a hanger 16 in' which a shaft 17 is journaled. ri'fhe shaft extends through the top (i, anti through the cap 18, which cap is upwardiy elongated to increase the distance betweenl the support of the shaft hearings ano thereby maintain the vertical position oi? the shaft more accurateiy. @n the lower end of the shaft 17 is an agitator or stieren comprising e' hub with a pluioiity of ernis 18 that sweep the bottoni ofI the pan to keep the corn from burning. Looseiy mounted -on the shaft 17 above the stirrer, is e, cover `19, that 1s free to rise with the pressure of vhanger 16 is o heveie pinion 20, which meshes with a siinilsr pinion 2i on hori- Zontal sha-ft The shaft 22 is mounted in e psir oi' spaced-apart. hangers 23, 23., oepening from the top o of the cese and also is journaleci in e hon 24- in the rear well the lThe shaft 22 is adjustehie iongitudinaliy, but isnoinolly piesseii towerii the i, shaft i?, hy a spring 2.5, w'rappe around the shaft 22, and heering at one end against the outer henger 23, and at the other end against a coiier 2G fined on the shaft 22e i cranlr 27, on the outer end oi the shaft 22, provides means for manually rotating the shaft and aise for moving it iongitudinaliy against the tension' of the sprin The shaft 1'?, terminetes at its upper enti with a knob 28, and by pulling upwardly on this lrnoh the stirrers 18 and pen-cover 19 will be removed to the position shown by the dotted iines in Fig. 1, which leave the pan 8 free to he lifted ont hy its henolie and emptied. The shaft 17 is heid in this eievatefi position hy the entrance of retlncefi enti 3Q of the shaft 22 into an 'annuler chen nei Si, in sha-igt i?, hy the action ot the spring 25., rihe operation ofi 7 invention is as follows z-Unpopped corn is placed on the cover 19 and is rolled 0H into the pan 8 by manuallyl rotating the shaft 17 through crank 27. The stirrers 18 are simultaneously rotated, and as the corn is popped it discharges in part through the opening in the side of the pan. operation is completed the shaft 22 is drawn out to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, which removes its pinion 21 out of thev way ofthe pinion 20. .The shaft 17 is then readily raised manually to the `positionvshown in dotted lines where it is held by the engagementof the reduced end 30 in the channel l31 of said shaft 17, and the stirrers and cover being then held up out ofthe Way, the pan is easily lifted out of its seat and its 4contents 'poured into the showcase. y

The pan is then replaced in the shaft 17 and is manually lowered by first releasing it b withdrawing the member 30 from the cliannel 31.

Having thus fully described my invention,-

moval of the pan, and spring actuated means for holdin said last means in said removed position o .the stirrer.

2. The combination, within a showcase, of

a heating element within the case, a pan removably held upon the heating element, a stirrer within the pan, manually operated y means for operating the stirrer extending outside of the case, means for removing the stlrrer to a position out of interference with the removal of the' pan and means oompris- After the popping,l

Maase@ cessibility for said adjustment, and manually operated means on the outside of the showcase for rotating the shaft lin its lowered position and for locking the shaft in its raised position.

4a rThe combination, withina showcase, of

a heater in the oase, a pan removably supported upon the heater, a stirrer located in the pan, a shaft on .which the stirrer is mounted, said shaft being adjustable longitudinally to lift the stirrer from the pan and extending outside of the case for accessibility for such adjustment, said shaft havinr an annular groove, a counter-shaft exten in outside 0f the case, adjustable longitudinally and having a reduced inner end, l gears drivingly connecting the two shafts, resilient means for moving the counter-shaft toward the first shaft, and a crank on the outer end of the counter-shaft.

5. The combination, within a showcase, of a heater in the case, a pan on the heater, a stirrer in the pan; a shaft on which the stirrer is mounted, a bevel ear Wheel on the shaft, a counter-shaft ad]ustable longitudinally, a bevel gear wheel fixed on a counter-shaft meshing with the'one on the first shaft, and a spring contacting the end of the counter-shaft against the first shaft to keep the bevel gears from binding against each other.

Signed. at Indianapolis, Indiana, this the 12th day of August, 1922.

CHARLES WV. MABEY. 

